Mozambique: Women, capulana dresses, and police violence stand out at Nampula protests

In Mozambique, women in Nampula took to the streets days ahead of Mozambican Women's Day, protesting after first lady Gueta Chapo failed to deliver on a promise to distribute capulanas, the colorful traditional dresses, for the occasion. Global Voices reports that protesters repurposed the capulana itself as a symbol of resistance and improvised protection against tear gas, echoing its earlier role in the national liberation struggle. Similar demonstrations in nearby Anchilo turned violent, with two people wounded by gunfire. The unrest builds on broader instability since Mozambique's 2024 general election, and organizers say much of the protest documentation is being shared and mobilized in real time on social media.

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